Biography of Dr. James M. DarnallHoward County, IN Biographies

DR. JAMES M. DARNALL, President and bookkeeper of the Kokomo Milling Company, was born in Jessamine County,
Ky., June 28, 1817. He was the eldest of eight children born to Zenas and Agnes (Bridges) Darnall, both of English
descent. His perents were reared in Kentucky, and were married in 1816. In 1822, they moved North to Decatur County,
Ind., where his father bought a partially improved farm. Here he lived a few years, when he sold his land and bought
160 acres near by. He afterward sold this and moved into Shelby County, thence into Boone County in 1854, where
he purchased a farm, on which he lived until his death in 1857, at the age of sixty nine years. His wife died in
Decatur County, aged fifty four years. Both were prominent members of the Christian Church. Dr. Darnall assisted
his father on the farm until he was twenty years old, when he entered Hanover College, which he attended at intervals
for three years. He also taught school part of the time, after which he studied medicine for two years at Connersville,
Ind., with Dr. Brown, teaching in the meantime. In the spring of 1842, he located at Burlington, Carroll County,
where he began to practice medicine with Dr. Anderson. Dr. Darnall remained at Burlington twenty two years, twenty
of which he had been practicing for himself. He met with good success, having a large practice. His health failed
him and he was induced to come to Kokomo in 1864. He practiced here two years, when he entered the drug business
with his brother and J. M. Scotton. The firm of Darnall, Scotton & Co. continued in business until 1873, when
Simpson B. Darnall died, and the firm of Darnall & Scotton became successors, continuing five years, when our
subject retired from the drug trade, and soon after became owner of one third of the stock in the Kokomo Milling
Company, and has been superintending since. He has been a lively, energetic business man, and has been eminently
successful through life. Mr. Darnall was married, in 1845, to Miss Mary Gwinn, of Carroll County, Ind. She was
the daughter of Samuel and Magdalene Gwinn, and was born in December, 1823. They have one adopted daughter, Mary
E. Mr. Darnall was in early life a Whig, and later a Republican. He has been City Councilman and Mayor. In 1874,
he was elected as Representative of Howard County. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and he and wife are both members
of the Christian Church.